Air cleaner and humidifier



Feb.- 8, 1927.

J. L. MILTON AIR CLEANER AND HUMIDI'MERv Original Filed Feb, 13. 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet .1.

rlllllllllflll J. L. MILTON Feb. 8, 1927.

AIR CLEANER AND HUMIDIFIER Original Filed Feb. 13, 1919 -4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M M ad Feb. 8.

' 1,616,593 J. l.. MILTON vAIR CLEANER AND HUMIDIFIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 original Filed Febfl, 1919 ,.l. L.. MILTON AIR CLEANER AN HUMIDIFIER Feb. 8, 1927.

Original Filed Feb. 13, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,616,593 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LEWIS MILTON, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

yAIR. CLEANER AND HMIDIFIER.

Application led February 13, 1919, Serial No. 276,875. Renewed April 6, 1925.

This invention relates generally to motor vehicle structures and particularly to the cooling system and to provide means for purifying air going to carburetor. The dust in the air entering the carburetor either cuts the cylinder walls, the pistons and their rings or if the dust is too fine to effect this disastrous result, it clogs the lubrication system which is eventually quite as damaging.

More specifically, the invention relates to a combined radiator cooling fan and an air cleaning device arranged in a single unit whereby one set of bearings serves for both the radiator fan and the cleaner and also lwhereby the drive of the fan serves as a drive for-the cleaning device, and further whereby the presence of the radiator fan on Vthe cleaner is utilized to increase thev eiliciency of the cleaner.

The air cleaner feature of this invention is similar to my invention disclosed in my application Serial Number 261,345, filed November 6, 1918. It consists of a drum like rotating member with suitable openings for incoming uncleaned air, outgoing clean air to the engine and another or others f or letting out ythe refuse -matter. The discharge opening or openings are placed at the periphery as it is a well known fact that a whirling body of. air moves with greater force or velocity at the periphery of the chamber and not only forces the heavier than air particles to the periphery but seeks to escape at this point. Withln the rotating drum is a wire screen or other foraminous material arranged to catch very fine particles that have been carried over or past the first zones in which the centrifugal force has been applied. The screen is so placed that any particles that may come 1n contact with the surface of the screen are immediately caught and then thrown oil' and eventually expelled through the opening or openings provided for the escapement of the impurities, thereby keeping the screens openings unrestricted.

The rotating drum contains a series Vof vanes, by the action of which the air is forced to partake of the motion of the drum.

The invention may be further briefly summerized as consisting in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth in the following description, drawings and claimsr- Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side view of a portion of an internal combustion engine, a carburetor, a radiator, radiator fan and air cleaner. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the fan and cleaner with their bearings. Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 1 but shows a diferent method of air connection between the cleaner and carburetor. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a modified form of the fan and cleaner together with a different mounting. Fig. 5 shows a section of an internal combustion engine and radiator with a modified form of my cleaner and radiator fan. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detailed view of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a detailed cross sectional view of hose and carburetor intake bracket on top of engine housing taken along line A-A of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detailed cross sectional view of the valve on the radiator hose connection taken along line B-B of Fig.,1. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a` modified construction of the cleaner and fan, together with a suitable mounting.

In Fig. 2 the engine housing is cut away to show the forging 2 attached to the engine housing 1 and a method I use for supporting the radiator fan and cleaner, also a method of driving the same. On forging 2 the ball bearings 2aa are mounted. The ball bearing carry all the rotating members of the radiator fan and cleaner. The tube 3 at one end is pressed on the bottom hub of the -bevel gear 4 which is in turn mounted on the ball bearing as shown, andat the other end is pressed on the Wheel like casting 5 which 1s formed with openings as indicated to allow the air to pass out of the cleaner' into the stationary service head 6 which is mounted on the shaft forging 2 and held in position by the nut 7 concentric with respect to 4the axis of the forging 2. The wheel\ 5 is mounted on the ball bearing as shown' and supports the outer tube 9 and the radiator fan blades 10-10. The funnel shaped member 11 is also attached to wheel 5 and re\ volves with it, the outer end extends into service head 6 and is free to revolve in same. A gasket or seal 12 is provided to keep uncleaned air from entering-at this joint. The end of the tube 9 next to the engineis secured to the anged wheel 13 which is in turn concentrically mounted and revolves with the inner tube 3 and bevel gear 4'. This wheel is-formed with openings as shown so that air can enter the duct 14, formed be- '15-15 and end member 15a which closes the end of the chamber adjacent the engine hbusing.

In this outer chamber are longitudinal vanes 16-16 which cause the air in the chamber to rotate with-it and thereby impart to it the centrifugal force which is effectivejin forcing the dust and dirt out of openings 17-17. A screen 18 or lother foraminous material is provided and mounted on an langle as shown in the path of the air so that it will catch any line particles that have not been expelled. These particles will be thrown oif of the screen by the centrifugal action and thereby kept from clogging and impeding the travel of the air.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a tube 20 conducting the clean air to a valve 21 attached to the radiator 22.

In Fig. 9 the arrows show the air entering the valve at v23 into the duct 24 and then through the circulating water 26 into the upper section 49 of the valve, which is above the water level. The water cooling system is so proportioned that this water level is maintained substantially constant in the hose and valve when the engine is in operation. This valve prevents water from flowing into the cleaner through tube 20.

The water and air connector fixture shown -in Fig. 8 is provided with a baille 50 to prevent the circulating water from entering the carburetor with the cleaned air.

It will now be seen that the cleaned air will enter the carburetor 27 after having been washed with and moistened and warmed with the water used for cooling the engine. The path travelled with the air is shown by dotted arrows in Fig. 1.

The overflow pipe 28 in Fig. 1 terminates in a reservoir of liquid 29 to form an air seal so that the engines suction cannot pull uncleaned air through said overflow pipe.

In the modified cleaner shown in Fig. 4 the vanes 30-30, and shell 31 which sur rounds the latter and radiator blades 32-,32 are preferably cast integrally and secured to one end of the steel tube 33 as shown which is carried on ball bearings 34-34 which are in turn mounted in the engine housing 35 and operated at high speed by sprocket and chain or other suitable means. This mounting is suitable for V type engines.

On the other end of the tubular shaft are blades 32a-32a which with the housing 33 form a blower fan for at least partially overcoming the pressure set up in the mam chamber. The clean air is led out of opening 36 and connected to the carburetor by suitable means.

To prevent the air attaining an excessive pressure in the service pipe 37, I have provided an adjustable safety valve 48.

On the blades 40-40 Fig. 6 Ihave shown a peripheral band 41 on which is mounted a series of ducts or buckets 42 which project through a flange 43 to which radial blades 44-44 are attached. It will be seen that the parts 40-41-42-43 and 44 form the rotating members. A stationary receiving duct 45 is provided in circular form to receive the clean air from the rapidly rotating ducts 42-42. As the uncleaned air is drawn into rapidly rotating ducts 42-42 by the engine it is immediately subjected to the centrifugal action and the heavier than air particles with a part of the air are forced out of peripheral openings 46 in each of the ducts7 thereby effectively cleaning the air. The carburetor 27 is connected to the duct 45 by tubing 47. The Avanes 44-44 are extended above the outer wall of duct 45 so as to prevent uncleaned air from being drawn into the duct 45.

The construction shown in Fig. 10 is designed-to give a combined cleaner andradiator cooling fan unit that will substantially interchano'e with the ordinary cooling fan. The` fan blades 50 are preferably of cast aluminum with tubular stems 51 arranged to be riveted or bolted to the tubular shaft 52 which is suitably mounted on ball bearings 53-'53 which are in turn carried in a housing 54 which isto be bolted to the engine in a suitable manner. driven by a belt and Hanged pulley 55 or other suitable means.

The tubular stems form ducts 56 in the back or following side of the blades as shown and terminate in openings 57 over which are placed screens 58 which are readily removed by quick acting latches 59-59. The openings 57 are so located as to take air after it has been set in motion by the blades and thereby reverse its direction of travel as it responds to the engines suction impulses. These openings may be kat the following edge as shown, or in the face of the blade. With this construction only cleaned air will be drawn inwardly through the ducts 56 to the central chamber, and any impurities which pass through the screen are thrown outwardly by the action of centrifugal force, the latter being greater than, and overcoming the force of suction created by the engine.

Many blades in place of the two blades I have shown may be used. I do not limit myself to the forms and mountings of the invention as shown asmany modifications and combinations not shown are possible.

I claim:

1. The combination with an engine having a carburetor, of a combined cooling fan and air cleaner comprising a rotary device adapted to be driven by the engine, said device including fan blades and a chamber The fan is connected to the carburetor, and having an air intake which is separate from the an blades and remote from the axis of rotation.

2. The combination with an engine having a water cooling radiator and a. carburetor, of a combined cooling :fan end air cleaner arranged between the radiator and the front of the engine and adapted to be driven by the engine, said cooling fan and cleaner comprising a rotary central chamber with fan blades rotatable therewith, said chamber having an air inlet and having an outlet connected to the carburetor, the inlet being separate from the fan blades and remote from the axis of the chamber.

3. In a water cooled internal combustion engine having a carburetor and a circulating system for cooling water, a combined cooling fan and air cleaner comprising a. rotary device having a chamber with a connection'to the carburetor, and fan bladesA an air intake, of an air purifying device comprising a rotor and a stator, said rotor adapted to be driven by power supplied by the engine and formed with blades, said air purifying device being formed with perip .eral openings communicating to a cham er connected to the engine intake, whereby all the air entering said engine intake is forced to travel against the normal centrifugal action of said air purifying device.

n testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of February, 1919.

JOHN, LEWIS MILTON. 

